Seventy-Four
by t.finch
Summary: In a Panem where Katniss, Peeta, and the rest of the cast never existed, this story follows the 74th Annual Hunger Games through the eyes of six tributes fighting for their lives among the twenty-four. SYOT.
1. Then Splat

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

 **AN:** Hello! This will be a partial Submit Your Own Tribute (SYOT) story. Details about the premise of this story and how to submit a character can be found at the end of this short chapter.

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Chapter One: ... Then Splat

 **Seraphine Sumner, President of Panem**

A dark blue figure rises out of the table as part of the holograph. Nothing about it is detailed, but as the graphic minimizes, I understand. The figure has a head, legs, arms, and fingers and is slowly rising.

The model tribute comes out of the tube as all the tributes will at the start of the games. He stands on the circular platform with his feet glued down but his body makes slight movements as if he's breathing heavily. One arm raises up and his hand forms a visor over his eyes as the scene expands. Twenty-three identical figures stand in a circle with him, centered by a silver Cornucopia.

I can make out vague shapes like mountains in the distance and what must be a large lake in the distance, but not much stands out as _new_ or _exciting_ as Techne promised. Weird spots drop down through the holographic tributes and they shudder as if the computer is glitching. And then I realize.

"Rain?" I ask, leaving the harsher question hanging in the air unsaid: _this is the best you could think of?_

"Thick rain." Confidence drips from her voice. "Barreling down on them fast and cold. Soaking them and their clothes and turning the ground into mud. They'll hardly be able to see and when they run, their boots will either stick or slide."

"And a few days in, those that survive the bloodbath will die from exposure?" _It'll be the shortest games in years and we cannot afford for ratings to drop the year before the Quell._

Techne's lip curls slightly. She waves her hand across the keyboard and taps a button for the spots to cease dropping. About seven or eight of the tributes' figures disappear from the map. The screen zooms to the mountains and four tributes appear, hiking the rocks with spears and tridents in their hands.

"The rain will stop by nightfall, maybe earlier. It's my intention, actually, to use the rain to slow down the deaths," Techne explains. "Considering all of the factors the tributes will be faced with immediately – the rain, the mud, the cold – most will prioritize shelter over the fight. After the bloodbath, all or at least most of the living tributes will have fled from the Cornucopia. There's a bit of woodland surrounding it but not much to provide cover from the rain. That leaves the mountains as the only obvious source of shelter."

"Aside from the Cornucopia."

"Yes," Techne agrees. "Aside from the Cornucopia, which, if a Career pack forms, will likely be claimed by them. The others will flee. And once the rain ends and night falls, the Careers will take to hunting the others."

The holograph zooms in again to a hole in the mountain. A cave. The four tributes hiking enter it and emerge with a fifth in their grasp, who manages to free himself and run. The chase is short-lived when one of the four throws a spear into the fifth's back.

"Bang," Teche mocks the canon as the tribute drops. She turns to me and smiles. "Not too bad, is it?"

"Show me more."

"As you wish, Madam President." She winks. "Now, time for my favorite surprise."

The scene pans over to another portion of the mountain where a single figure makes its way opposite the direction of the group Teche just showed. A buzzer-like sound emits from the computer beside us and flashes a warning on its screen: Tribute Nearing Arena Edge!

"See that?" Techne asks. "Whenever someone comes up on the forcefield or the action starts to get too dull, we like to have a plan to draw them away. You see the loose rock way up there? Watch that."

I don't have to watch to know what will happen, but I do anyway. The loose rock shakes and tumbles downward. Bits of the mountain are knocked apart as it rolls and the tribute runs, arms over his head, as crumbled rock and boulders come flying.

"Ideally, this is meant to guide the tributes together and stir up some conflict, but…" Techne pauses, hitting a few keys with the pads of her fingers. "If the tribute isn't particularly likable…then splat!"

"Splat," I echo, keeping my face stoic as a boulder crushes the tribute into nothing.

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 **AN:** There goes the first chapter! Now onto the SYOT information.

Basically, this follows the 74th Hunger Games as if none of the canon characters exist. There will not be a star-crossed lovers plot between two tributes and the arena will be different. Twenty-four tributes will fight for the death, but only six of those will be submitted: The male tributes from Districts 1, 4, and 7 and the female tributes from Districts 2, 6, and 10.

These six tributes will narrate the story, one of which will become the victor. The other eighteen will be created by me and will not have any chapters from their point of view. While the eighteen are capable of killing the six submitted tributes, none of the eighteen will win. If you have any questions about this, feel free to PM me or leave a review here!

The tribute form sheet can be found on my profile. Please take a look at the rules below and check the available spots before submitting a character. I will contact you if your tribute is accepted as well as post the accepted tribute on my profile.

 ** _RULES_**

 **1.** Submit tributes via **private message (pm) only**. Sorry, guests! I would like to be able to contact those that submit.

 **2.** This is not first come, first serve. **No reservations!**

 **3.** You may **only submit one character** each. However, you may submit a second character if your first is not accepted.

 **4.** Katniss, Peeta, etc. won't exist. **Do not reference canon characters** as relatives/mentors/etc. to your tribute.

 **5.** Make sure to **check my profile** for any changes/updates to rules. I will also list accepted tributes and what spots remain open there.


	2. Your Favorite

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Hunger Games.**

 **AN:** Here's another short chapter! The Reapings will begin as soon as the tribute list is full. As of right now, we just need the male tribute from District 1.

Super thankful to everyone who submitted a character! They were all incredible and I can't wait to get this really started. Thank you all!

Chapter Two: Your Favorite

 **Seraphine Sumner, President of Panem**

There are never a shortage of events to attend in the Capitol, especially not this time of year when everyone's anticipation is boiling over for the games. I can afford to miss the endless parties almost any other time, but not when tonight is the evening before the Reaping.

I am surprised to find Techne here, fluttering among the crowd like a pixie. Her light blonde hair, short and tactfully fussed serves to enhance the look. Unbothered by the two peacekeepers who never stray more than a few feet away from me in public, she greets me with a broad smile and extends her hand.

"Madam President," she says cheerfully, bending to kiss my hand after I've extended my arm to her grasp.

"Techne."

"Are you enjoying the party?" Fear is absent from her eyes; it always is.

"Yes, I am," I answer, inflicting a harsher tone. "I am surprised you found a moment to step away from work for a party."

"You saw the arena," she retorts, upbeat and unmoved. "It's complete. You approved it yourself. There's nothing that can be done for now."

"Except checking for flaws," I remind her.

"Which has been done." Her smile brightens. "Everything's been double, triple, quadruple checked. Camera audio and vision is perfect and I haven't located any issue in the arena or our equipment. Of course, it's still customary to keep checking, but that's a menial job. My subordinates have that handled for now and I'll be back to work after we've started to learn a bit more about our tributes."

"May we speak privately?" My question is more commanding than a request.

Techne obliges with a nod. Her expression never falters, but I hardly expected it to. Techne has never been the type to crumble under pressure, a quality that led her to the Head Gamemaker position.

I have the pair of peacekeepers serving as my personal bodyguards for the evening lead us out of the crowd. Most are cautious enough to avert their eyes back to their dancing and drinking, even as we disappear down the garden pathway leading away from the large manor where the party's being hosted.

For a few minutes, no noise besides the music from inside and the sound of our shoes clicking on the stone path reaches our ears. Techne and I turn the corner and we find a long bench to rest on. I motion for the peacekeepers to stick back out of earshot.

"The Reaping is tomorrow," I begin.

Curiosity displays itself on Techne's face. Her eyebrows lift and her head tilts to the side. She waits for me to continue.

"I am sure you are aware, but because this is your first year as Head Gamemaker I must be certain you are prepared to do what needs to be done."

"Of course," her voice glides. "Give me their names as soon as you know them, if there are any."

Traitors, Techne means, though she doesn't speak it out loud. It's rare to have a known rebel in the games, but it does happen. In the circumstance that it does, it is important to have a Head Gamemaker able to follow orders. However, rebels aren't the only threat. Some traitors are born through the games and it's essential that those sort be spotted and obliterated early on.

"A tribute doesn't have to become a victor to be a threat," I tell Techne. "Sometimes they go in with a death wish, knowing that one way or another treason is a crime punishable with execution even if you're the Capitol's very favorite victor. You have to recognize them early on."

Techne nods her understanding.

"Seraphine." She says my name without its title, a privilege few are granted - her not included. "The Reaping is tomorrow. And then the parade and the interview. Just point one out to me and I'll make sure your favorite will be victor of the 74th Annual Hunger Games."


End file.
